Stop Pretending
by AriesZombieReBornBalorPrincess
Summary: 'Pretend - speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not.' She was ready to move on from pretending that she had the real fairy-tale love with Jesse St. James when she was head over heels for the former bad ass of her past. She's ready to move forward and towards Noah Puckerman. Puck is ready for that bright star of his future. One-Shot!


**Just a little something that I've been working on for a few days to help clear the little bit of writer's block that has settled in. This is my first Glee story and Rachel and Puck might be a little OOC, but this is the future them. I really hope you guys like this. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the characters.**

* * *

"Let's just stop pretending, Jesse," Rachel stated, walking from her closet, folding her clothes to place neatly in one of the two suitcases on their bed. She was tired of living a lie. She was ready to move on from this whole ordeal. And letting Jesse go was only the first step in getting what she wanted out of life.

"I don't understand, Rachel," Jesse replied, confusion setting in. Closing her now full suitcase, she stepped up to Jesse placing her hands on his biceps, gaining even more of his attention then she had previously, if that was even possible.

"I am sorry, but I can not go on with this facade any longer. I love you, I always have, but this thing between us, it is not right. I can not thank you enough for what you have done for me. But we both know we can longer play this game of house. I won't let you do this. I will no longer be your shield, Jesse. Be proud of you are and embrace it. You will make some guy very happy. Let me go," she explained, her eyes never leaving his.

Love, admiration, fear were a few emotions playing on his face. He knew she was right. He was having a hard time believing that everything around him was coming to a close. He wasn't ready, he wasn't sure if he would ever be ready. Marrying Rachel secured that he could push it away until he was ready to deal with the issues in his head. He had so much time on his hands when his wife agreed to be the surrogate for Blaine and Kurt, it was perfect for him.

Now his time was up. She had given birth to a beautiful baby girl three months ago. She had spent her time playing the Mommy role, because Rachel couldn't and wouldn't do what her own mother had done to her. Even if years later things worked out between mother and daughter.

"Is it him?" His voice soft, even if it was void of any emotions. "I always thought I had to fight to keep you from Finn, but never him. I should have. Despite the love you shared with Finn, it could never live up to love you share with Puck," he continued on, getting no answer from the petite woman that stood in front of him.

"I ignored it for so long. But I noticed the things he did for me, passing them off as Finn's. I've ignored this feeling for too long now. I need him before I have no time left. Jesse it is time you stop with this charade. I played my part. Now we go back to being friends. I could never abandon you in your time of need, but we deserve to have our happy ending with our soulmate's. Can you not see that?"

"I know and it was selfish to ever put you through this and for that I'm truly sorry," he told her, his words genuine. She smiled brushing a sweet kiss to his cheek. "Rachel, you don't have to leave."

"I'm going home to Lima." She didn't need to tell him why she was going home. He knew why and unlike the hurt and jealousy that laid on the surface from the whole _'Run Joey Run_' video, he was happy for her. He couldn't be the bad guy to hold her back from her ending.

With a final kiss to his cheek Rachel was out the door, her ring laying on the nightstand. Maybe it wouldn't hurt when she came home and he was gone. She loved Jesse, but it wasn't the same love she held for a certain bad ass that grew up to be quite the man. Deep down she knew that even though she had only been his for a week Sophomore year of high school, she would always truly be his. She hated it had taken her this long to realize that. She wouldn't regret it though. Not only did they need to grow up, but grow a part.

* * *

_"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, opening the door at her mother's house. Shock and surprise whirled inside her. Shelby had never told her anything about Noah coming to visit Beth._

_"I'm here to visit my daughter, Berry. What are you doing here?" He asked amusement in his voice as he made his way inside._

_"Watching my sister for the day, Noah," she replied, shutting the front door. She took him realizing that the years had been kind to him._

_He had noticed the few pictures of Rachel around Shelby's house the last couple of visits he had managed to make. He couldn't deny that she looked better than she had in high school now that she lost the animal sweaters. He did miss the knee socks but her short dress was about the same as it always has been. Delicious curves lay hidden under the thin fabric._

_"What are you doing married to St. Douche? It makes no sense, Rach." The words flew from his mouth before he could stop them._

_"How's Quinn?" Rachel bit back. Puck find it highly amusing that Rachel Berry was jealous of what he had with Quinn. To him Rachel would stay Berry until she found a real husband. She would never be Rachel St. James to him._

_"Is that a hint of jealousy, Berry?" He smirked with a soft chuckle, watching annoyance sweep across her face, merging into her chocolate eyes. "I wouldn't know. Things didn't work out."_

_Rachel nodded, taking things in. "You don't have to understand why I married Jesse, Noah. Are you hungry? I was getting ready to make lunch for Beth."_

_"Do you happen to have any of those sugar cookies?" He smirked, moving through the living room. "I think you settled for Jesse after losing Finn. I don't think you're happy as you should be, Berry. Why pretend, when you can have the love you've always wanted?" He asked, making Rachel think about the current predicament she was in with Jesse. "Oh and Berry none of that vegan shit," he called over his shoulder with a small wink._

_"Language Noah," Rachel scolded him. "Some things never change, do they?" She asked with a small laugh._

_"Nope," he called over his shoulder, disappearing around the corner. Rachel smiled, walking to the kitchen. It was good to see Noah once again. The last time she had saw him, it wasn't a very happy time. _

* * *

"Rachel, what are you doing here?" Sam asked, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thought I would pay visit," Rachel smiled, welcoming a warm hug. "See how Glee is doing," she replied, pulling away from the hug. Taking in the room that had once housed her love and anger. Gave her friends and a small family rolled into one. The small room that had given her a place of safety and security. The room where she ignored lingering feelings for the resident bad ass of McKinley high, choosing the golden quarterback time after time.

"He's out on the bleachers," Sam winked. Rachel smiled, making a promise to be back in time for glee rehearsals.

"Were you really going to break up with me that day Sophomore year?" She asked softly, sitting behind him on the bleachers.

"No," Puck replied, his eyes focused on the empty field. "I did have feelings for you back then. Hell they never left. I get things are different now and we can't be together but Rach, you were the one that got away," he confessed. He needed her to know. He no longer needed to act like he was this big bad ass. That didn't matter, not when he had to tell the love of his life how he really felt, even if it was far too late.

"I'm divorcing Jesse." That had gotten his full attention. "It was more of a deal for his benefit and until now it worked for me. But now I want the love I gave up when I was 15 because I was a fool. But I don't think we were ready for that kind of commitment back then. We had to go through what he did to really appreciate the love we share, Noah."

"Yeah, maybe." Puck looked behind him giving Rachel a devilish grin. "Wanna make out?" He asked, causing his woman to blush. He stood up, pulling Rachel closer, letting his lips do the talking.


End file.
